Question

Define heterothallism. Who discovered it and in which species of Rhizopus?

Answer 1

The phenomenon in which there is involvement of two or more different type of sexes or mating types is considered as heterothallism. There are two different mating types. Blakeslee was the geneticist who discovered this phenomenon in the year 1903. The common example of this phenomenon is shown by Rhizopus spp. There are two different mating types as + and -. The mycelium of these mating types interact and thus, zygospore is formed which help in the development of heterothallic mycelium.